Plug in Hybrid Estate or SUV - Page 1 - Car Buying

willmagrath

Original Poster

1,340 posts

171 months

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Thursday

I'd like to swap my diesel estate for a plug in hybrid. Criteria as follows:

Estate or medium SUV (Estate prefered)
200hp minimum
£16k budget
Up to 100k miles
Good on rough pot holed roads

I like thr 330e, 508sw hybrid and Volvo v60/xc60.

Any other ideas?

Thanks

Quattr04.

1,071 posts

16 months

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Thursday

Passat GTE
Skoda superb IV
C350e

Edited by Quattr04. on Thursday 21st May 22:14

Snow and Rocks

3,267 posts

52 months

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Thursday

Push you budget slightly if at all possible and go for a Suzuki Across (Rav4 phev clone).

Over 300 bhp,
60 in 5.5s,
45+ mile range and ~230 bhp in pure EV mode
500 miles and easy 50+ mpg in hybrid mode even if you don't charge it.
Toyota hybrid durability and ease of long term maintenance.

Be careful with some of the others. Some very weedy EV setups and dodgy reliability reputations.

andy43

12,754 posts

279 months

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Friday

Snow and Rocks said:

Push you budget slightly if at all possible and go for a Suzuki Across (Rav4 phev clone).

Over 300 bhp,
60 in 5.5s,
45+ mile range and ~230 bhp in pure EV mode
500 miles and easy 50+ mpg in hybrid mode even if you don't charge it.
Toyota hybrid durability and ease of long term maintenance.

Be careful with some of the others. Some very weedy EV setups and dodgy reliability reputations.

This. Drivetrain is very very good - I’ve tried the Lexus NX version - and it really doesn’t seem to have any downsides apart from the cvt gearbox if that bothers you. Might be more expensive but if I was buying with my own money this or the Rav or NX would be my choice over Stellantis or German brands.

willmagrath

Original Poster

1,340 posts

171 months

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andy43 said:

Snow and Rocks said:

Push you budget slightly if at all possible and go for a Suzuki Across (Rav4 phev clone).

Over 300 bhp,
60 in 5.5s,
45+ mile range and ~230 bhp in pure EV mode
500 miles and easy 50+ mpg in hybrid mode even if you don't charge it.
Toyota hybrid durability and ease of long term maintenance.

Be careful with some of the others. Some very weedy EV setups and dodgy reliability reputations.

This. Drivetrain is very very good - I ve tried the Lexus NX version - and it really doesn t seem to have any downsides apart from the cvt gearbox if that bothers you. Might be more expensive but if I was buying with my own money this or the Rav or NX would be my choice over Stellantis or German brands.

That's a very excellent left field suggestion! Just had a look and they do seem good and very good value. It's pushing the budget a bit so we'll see!

cliffords

3,843 posts

48 months

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Friday

willmagrath said:

That's a very excellent left field suggestion! Just had a look and they do seem good and very good value. It's pushing the budget a bit so we'll see!

I had one as a hire car in Spain. It had nothing like the performance listed here so be careful there must be several variations. It was an ok vehicle but no way near anything like the numbers quoted for performance

targarama

14,733 posts

308 months

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Friday

Agree, anything hybrid then get a Toyota/Lexus. Possibly Honda, but the former has been doing this since the first Prius came out. Reliable and won't leave you stranded. There is a reason Uber drivers all use Auris/Corolla hybrids which return 65-70mpg all day long. CVT is less of an issue in a more powerful car as the torque means you don't need to floor the pedal and experience the revving to make progress.

CMTMB

1,277 posts

20 months

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Friday

Snow and Rocks said:

Push you budget slightly if at all possible and go for a Suzuki Across (Rav4 phev clone).

Over 300 bhp,
60 in 5.5s,
45+ mile range and ~230 bhp in pure EV mode
500 miles and easy 50+ mpg in hybrid mode even if you don't charge it.
Toyota hybrid durability and ease of long term maintenance.

Be careful with some of the others. Some very weedy EV setups and dodgy reliability reputations.

I swear you knock a tenth of a second off the 0-60 every time you post about it.

They're brisk cars, about 6 seconds to 60 but they never feel quick and are in no way enjoyable to drive fast, both in terms of handling dynamics and the screaming CVT.

Fabulous family cars though for normal day to day driving. My wife had one for 3 years and 50k miles and unsurprisingly it had zero issues. Very economical although the very small fuel tank was a minor annoyance, the overall range wasn't great. We didn't get anywhere near 500 miles.

raspy

2,656 posts

119 months

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Quattr04. said:

Passat GTE
Skoda superb IV
C350e

Edited by Quattr04. on Thursday 21st May 22:14

The range on the C350e will be a joke. I had one for a few years. It would lose 1 mile out of 10 miles of range just leaving my driveway. In winter, I would get 4-6 miles from the battery. The 2.0 litre petrol engine is thirsty as anything.

Super comfy ride with air suspension though, and moderately rapid in sport + mode. I wouldn't recommend as used PHEV, especially now they are so old (in terms of complex german car that has plenty of stuff to go wrong)

Snow and Rocks

3,267 posts

52 months

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Friday

CMTMB said:

I swear you knock a tenth of a second off the 0-60 every time you post about it.

They're brisk cars, about 6 seconds to 60 but they never feel quick and are in no way enjoyable to drive fast, both in terms of handling dynamics and the screaming CVT.

Fabulous family cars though for normal day to day driving. My wife had one for 3 years and 50k miles and unsurprisingly it had zero issues. Very economical although the very small fuel tank was a minor annoyance, the overall range wasn't great. We didn't get anywhere near 500 miles.

Here you go. These guys tested it at 5.4!

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a33028735/202...

Like you say, not really sporty at all but having all that power means it's pretty effortless in every day use.

Like all modern Toyotas the fuel gauge and estimated range is pretty conservative - it's a 55 litre tank.

The biggest downsides in my mind - the electric tailgate is stupidly slow and the infotainment is pretty dated looking. It works fine and has AA/Carplay etc but looks a bit old fashioned.

Edited by Snow and Rocks on Friday 22 May 09:36

andy43

12,754 posts

279 months

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Snow and Rocks said:

CMTMB said:

I swear you knock a tenth of a second off the 0-60 every time you post about it.

They're brisk cars, about 6 seconds to 60 but they never feel quick and are in no way enjoyable to drive fast, both in terms of handling dynamics and the screaming CVT.

Fabulous family cars though for normal day to day driving. My wife had one for 3 years and 50k miles and unsurprisingly it had zero issues. Very economical although the very small fuel tank was a minor annoyance, the overall range wasn't great. We didn't get anywhere near 500 miles.

Here you go. These guys tested it at 5.4!

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a33028735/202...

Like you say, not really sporty at all but having all that power means it's pretty effortless in every day use.

Like all modern Toyotas the fuel gauge and estimated range is pretty conservative - it's a 55 litre tank.

The biggest downsides in my mind - the electric tailgate is stupidly slow and the infotainment is pretty dated looking. It works fine and has AA/Carplay etc but looks a bit old fashioned.

Edited by Snow and Rocks on Friday 22 May 09:36

And it's ugly inside and out, the droning cvt engine noise is awful, it's too high up and all wobbly compared to an estate.
But as a bulletproof all weather family carry all that'll never break down and do 40+ miles on pure electric it's hard to beat.
Not sure if the Suzuki gets Toyotas 10 year warranty but you'll probably never need it anyway.

Rob P

5,809 posts

289 months

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Friday

I’ve got a 330e and really like it. It’s the newer one (2025) so good for 60 miles on electric in this current weather. More like 35 in winter.

It’s a bit small though, with kids getting bigger the rear space isn’t great. Small boot as well, due to the battery.

ZX10R NIN

30,243 posts

150 months

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willmagrath

Original Poster

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171 months

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ZX10R NIN said:

The formentor is a decent idea!

I think for me, all in, and being a BMW guy the 330e really appeals to me.

The 508sw is so good looking but heated seats are a must have for me

ZX10R NIN

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willmagrath said:

The formentor is a decent idea!

I think for me, all in, and being a BMW guy the 330e really appeals to me.

The 508sw is so good looking but heated seats are a must have for me

You do realise that the 508 comes with heated sears as standard in GT spec? It alsp has Android auto/Carplay

Check the boot space on the 330e some find it a bit to small.

Edited by ZX10R NIN on Friday 22 May 21:15

Raddors

533 posts

173 months

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Friday

The answer should always be estate over SUV and a T6 or T8 Volvo V60 might sneak in under budget?

willmagrath

Original Poster

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171 months

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Friday

ZX10R NIN said:

You do realise that the 508 comes with heated sears as standard in GT spec? It alsp has Android auto/Carplay

Check the boot space on the 330e some find it a bit to small.

Edited by ZX10R NIN on Friday 22 May 21:15

I've had a look and very few seem to have it, even in GT spec. No evidence in adverts or pictures

willmagrath

Original Poster

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Raddors said:

The answer should always be estate over SUV and a T6 or T8 Volvo V60 might sneak in under budget?

This would be the peak for me. There are a few around for sure, but nothing within easy viewing reach for me currently

Raddors

533 posts

173 months

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willmagrath said:

This would be the peak for me. There are a few around for sure, but nothing within easy viewing reach for me currently

Yes that's true, it took me a while to find the right T8 and had to go from Oxford to Wakefield...

willmagrath

Original Poster

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Raddors said:

Yes that's true, it took me a while to find the right T8 and had to go from Oxford to Wakefield...

Happy with it? How many miles on it?